Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dental mirror instrument configured to illuminate the mirror surface and provide a flow of air across the mirror surface to remove liquids and debris and prevent fogging.
Background
Dental mirrors are routinely used by dentist and clinicians to view various parts of a patient's mouth and/or oropharynx. Dental mirrors are used for examination, diagnosis, procedural purposes, dental hygiene and other medical and veterinarian disciplines, such as otolaryngology (ear nose and throat ENT). The mouth is a difficult environment, as there are any number of fluids that can come into contact with the mirror surface including, saliva, mucin, rinsing water, blood, cleaning solutions and pastes as well as debris from conducting dental procedures. A mirror surface may become coated with one or more of these fluids and/or debris thereby obstructing a clear view. In addition, without proper lighting, many parts of the mouth are difficult to see even with the aid or a mirror. Lighting projected into the mouth has limited effectiveness, as many areas within the mouth are obstructed from illumination. With the aid of an illuminated mirror, light can be easily reflected into obstructed areas.
As described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,172,571, to Dr. Watson, dental mirrors have traditionally not been designed for ergonomics. In addition, traditional dental mirrors are not ergonomic. Ergonomics refers to the ease and precision with which instruments can be positioned for control, direction, duration and distance of applied force. When dental clinicians changed posture in the late 1960s from a standing position to a sitting position, the same dental mirrors remained. The angle of the traditional dental mirror surface to the mirror handle is set at approximately thirty-eight degrees. This angle supplies reflected vision for an operator who stands slightly behind, completely behind, or beside a seated patient. However, the standard thirty-eight degree angle is not designed for clinicians sitting in relation to a patient. The entirety of U.S. Pat. No. 8,172,571 is hereby incorporated by reference.
There exists a need for an illuminated dental mirror instrument that can effectively remove liquids and debris from the mirror surface and prevent fogging to allow an operator to view reflections within the mirror effectively.